Editing Old Colwyn

{{Short description|Village in Conwy County Borough, Wales}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
| label_position              = bottom
| country                     = Wales
| welsh_name                  = Hen Golwyn
| constituency_welsh_assembly = [[Clwyd West (Assembly constituency)|Clwyd West]]
| population                  = 8,113
| population_ref              = ''(2011)''
| coordinates                 = {{coord|53.291|-3.704|display=inline,title}}
| official_name               = Old Colwyn
| community_wales             = Old Colwyn
| unitary_wales               = [[Conwy (county borough)|Conwy]]
| lieutenancy_wales           = [[Clwyd]]
| constituency_westminster    = [[Clwyd North (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd North]]
| post_town                   = COLWYN BAY
| postcode_district           = LL29
| postcode_area               = LL
| dial_code                   = 01492
| os_grid_reference           = SH864784
| static_image_name           = Old Colwyn in the Afternoon.jpg
| static_image_caption        = Old Colwyn seen from Rhos-on-Sea
| module= [[File:Wales Conwy Community Old Colwyn map.svg|240px]]<br />Map of the community
}}

'''Old Colwyn''' ({{langx|cy|Hen Golwyn}}, formerly ''Colwyn'' bilingually) is a large village just to the east of [[Colwyn Bay]], in [[Conwy County Borough]], [[Wales]].

Prior to local government reorganisation in April 1974 it was part of the [[Municipal Borough]] of Colwyn Bay, but the reorganisation established it as a separate [[Community (Wales)|community]], whose [[population]] at the 2001 [[UK census|census]] was 7,626,<ref>[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/viewFullDataset.do;jsessionid=ac1f930b30d5949f8001401f4363ae9beb81c0a9b241?instanceSelection=03070&productId=779&$ph=60_61&datasetInstanceId=3070&startColumn=1&numberOfColumns=8&containerAreaId=790561&nsjs=true&nsck=true&nssvg=false&nswid=1280 Office for National Statistics : ''Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Conwy'']</ref> increasing to 8,113 at the 2011 census.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11127229&c=LL29+8EX&d=16&e=62&g=6489335&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=0&s=1432206136028&enc=1|title=Town population 2011|access-date=21 May 2015}}</ref> It hosted the [[National Eisteddfod]] in 1941. It also harbours the [[Scouting in Clwyd|3rd Colwyn Bay (Old Colwyn) Scout Group]] headquarters and is home to the area's comprehensive school, [[Ysgol Bryn Elian]].

== Amenities ==
Old Colwyn has an area of [[woodland]] called the 'Fairy Glen'. This area of woodland is said to contain many different spirits including [[fairy|fairies]], hence its name, which dates from the [[Victorian era]] and is a common name from that period (e.g. the "Fairy Glen" in [[Penmaenmawr]]). This area has recently undergone a regeneration with funding from the council and it is now possible to walk through it easily. The Fairy Glen is subject to an ownership dispute between [[Conwy County Borough Council]] and the water company, [[Dŵr Cymru]], each claiming that the maintenance of the area is the responsibility of the other.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}

Old Colwyn was once overlooked by the Hotel 70 Degrees, (just above Tan-y-Lan) so named because the architect who designed it used 70 degree angles in its construction.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northwest/sites/colwyn/pages/hotel70.shtml BBC News - Hotel 70 Degrees]</ref> Built in 1972, it was demolished in 2007, to be replaced by a housing development. It also has easy access onto the promenade and beach, as well as a protruded cliff area known as Penmaenhead, marked by a disused stone utility house. This is a popular spot amongst teenagers for the dangerous practice of "[[cliff jumping]]" when tide is in and the water is deep enough, though to date nobody has been hurt.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}

==History==
In 1334, the village was mentioned in a government survey as "Coloyne".<ref name=heritage>[http://colwynbayheritage.org.uk/hen-golwyn/] Colwyn Bay Heritage Online</ref>

In 1685, the village was known as "Colwun" and had a population of twenty.<ref name=heritage/>

Following the [[Census Act 1800]], Colwyn had a population of 150 with twenty-three cottages, twelve farms and two inns.<ref name=heritage/>

St Catherine's Church was built in 1837 as a [[chapel-of-ease]] to [[Rhos-on-Sea|Llandrillo-yn-Rhôs]]. A new [[ecclesiastical parish]] called Colwyn was created in 1844, with St Catherine's becoming the new parish church.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=20337|page=1369|date=23 April 1844}}</ref><ref>{{NHAW|desc=Church of St Catherine|num=14844|grade=II|access-date=13 March 2025}}</ref>

During the nineteenth century, the village of Colwyn became increasingly known as "Old Colwyn" to distinguish it from the newly formed town of [[Colwyn Bay]] (initially called "New Colwyn") to the west.<ref name=heritage/>

In 1884, [[Old Colwyn railway station]] opened (briefly initially named "Colwyn railway station") on the [[North Wales Coast Line]].

In December 1952, the railway station closed; however, both the line and a street called "Station Road" remain.

Since 1984,<ref group=note>with the exception of a two-year period, 1992&ndash;1994, when the [[Football Association of Wales]] prohibited their playing games in Wales whilst competing in the [[English football league system]]</ref> [[Colwyn Bay Football Club]]'s ground has been situated on Llanelian Road, Old Colwyn.<ref>[http://www.colwynbayfc.co.uk/colwyn-bay-football-club-a-brief-history/ A brief history] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225094205/http://www.colwynbayfc.co.uk/colwyn-bay-football-club-a-brief-history/ |date=25 December 2016 }} Colwyn Bay F.C.</ref>

==Former tramway==
The [[Llandudno and Colwyn Bay Electric Railway]] operated an electric tramway service between  [[Llandudno]] and [[Rhos-on-Sea]] from 1907 and extended to [[Colwyn Bay]] in 1908. The service closed in 1956.<ref>''The Golden Age of Tramways''. Published by Taylor and Francis.</ref>

==Education==
Old Colwyn has one infant school (Ysgol T. Gwyn Jones), one primary school ([https://web.archive.org/web/20141229221506/http://iauhengolwyn.conwy.sch.uk/www.IauHenGolwyn.conwy.sch.uk/Home.html Ysgol Hen Golwyn]), and one secondary school ([[Ysgol Bryn Elian]]).

==See also==
* Borough of [[Colwyn (district)|Colwyn]]
*[[St John the Baptist's Church, Old Colwyn]]
[http://festival.church/oldcolwyn * Festival Church, Old Colwyn]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Old Colwyn}}
* [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/24591 A Vision of Britain Through Time]
* [http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wales/conwy/old+colwyn British Listed Buildings]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130115082701/http://www.clwydfhs.org.uk/eglwysi/colwyn.htm Clwyd Churches]
* [https://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/SH8678 Geograph]
* [http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadAreaSearch.do?a=7&c=llannefydd+community&d=16&r=1&i=1001&m=0&s=1366071414933&enc=1&areaSearchText=Old+Colwyn&areaSearchType=16&extendedList=true&searchAreas= Office for National Statistics]

{{Conwy}}

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[[Category:Old Colwyn| ]]
[[Category:Villages in Conwy County Borough]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Wales]]